Concentrations of Mercury and other Metals in Black Bass ... · LKBB 403710122341501 40° 37.544' N...

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Open File Report 2011–1297

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and the Burned Area Response Program

Concentrations of Mercury and other Metals in Black Bass (Micropterus spp.) from Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County, California, 2005


By Jason T. May, Roger L. Hothem, Marissa L. Bauer, and Larry R. Brown

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and the Burned Area Response Program

Open-File Report 2011–1297

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Department of the InteriorKEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological SurveyMarcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2012

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Suggested citation:May, J.T., Hothem, R.L., Bauer, M.L., and Brown, L.R., 2012, Concentrations of mercury and other metals in black bass (Micropterus spp.) from Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County, California, 2005: U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2011–1297, 16 p.

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Contents

Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1Purpose and Scope .......................................................................................................................................5Field Methods and Sample Preservation Techniques .............................................................................5Laboratory Methods of Chemical Analysis ...............................................................................................5Quality Assurance and Quality Control ......................................................................................................6Results and Discussion .................................................................................................................................7Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................................................15References ....................................................................................................................................................15

Figures 1. Map showing fish sampling locations within Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County,

California ........................................................................................................................................2 2. Graph showing mercury concentration for all bass (Micropterus spp.) samples

collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, 2005, in relation to total length ...............14 3. Correlation plot of mercury concentration in fillet samples in relation to

whole-body samples for for all bass (Micropterus spp.) samples collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, 2005 ........................................................................................15

Tables 1. Sites within Whiskeytown Lake, California, sampled during 2005 .......................................3 2. Total mercury concentrations in fillet and whole-body samples of largemouth

bass (Micropterus salmoides) and spotted bass (M. punctulatus) collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, June 7–9, 2005 ........................................................................3

3. Concentrations of selected metals and sulfur in whole-body samples of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, June 2005 ..............................8

iv

Multiply By To obtainLength

millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch (in)Mass

microgram (μg) 0.000000035 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)milligram (mg) 0.000035 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)gram (g) ounce, avoirdupois (oz)kilogram (kg) 2.205 pound avoirdupois (lb)

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

°F=(1.8×°C)+32

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the “North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)”

Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given either in milligrams per liter (mg/L) or micrograms per liter (μg/L).

Conversion Factors, Horizontal Datum, Acronym and Abbreviations, and Chemical Elements

Conversion Factors

Si to Inch/Pound

Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Chemical Notation (additional information given in parentheses)

CRV certified reference valueCVAAS cold vapor atomic-absorption spectroscopyCVAFS cold vapor atomic-fluorescence spectrometrydw dry weightICP-MS coupled plasma–mass spectroscopyICP-OES inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopyLOD limit of detectionMDL method detection limitMOhm megaohmNPS National Parks ServiceNRA National Recreation AreaNRCC National Research Council of CanadaOEHHA Office of Environmental Health Hazard AssessmentQA quality assuranceQC quality control

v

RPD relative percent differenceSRM standard reference materialSV screening valueTERL Trace Element Research Laboratory (College Station, Texas)USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyUSGS U.S. Geological SurveyWHIS Whiskeytown National Recreation Areav/v The formula for volume percent (v/v) is: [Volume of solute (mL)/

Volume of solution (mL)] x 100ww wet weightHgT total mercuryHg2+ divalent mercuryppm part per million (μg/g)spp. species (plural)WHIS Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Chemical ElementsAl aluminumAs arsenicAg silverB boronBa bariumBe berylliumCa calciumCd cadmiumCo cobaltCr chromiumCu copperFe ironHg mercuryK potassiumMg magnesiumMn manganeseMo molybdenumNa sodiumNi nickelP phosphorusPb leadS sulfurSe selenium

vi

Sr strontiumTi titaniumV vanadiumZn zinc

Chemical Compounds, Isotopes,and other Chemical NotationCH3 methyl radicalCH4 methaneCH2Cl2 methylene chlorideCuSO4 copper sulfateFe(II) ferrous (divalent) ironFe(III) ferric (trivalent) ironHCl hydrochloric acidHF hydrofluoric acidHNO3 nitric acidHg0 elemental mercuryHg+ mercurous ionHg2+ mercuric ionHg(II) divalent mercuryHgCl2 mercuric chlorideHgT total mercury

203Hg(II) mercury-203 radiotracer divalent inorganic mercuryKBr potassium bromideMeHg methylmercury (monomethylmercury)N2 nitrogen gasNaBEt4 sodium tetra-ethyl borateO2 oxygen gasSiO2 silicon dioxide, or silicaSnCl2 stannous chloride

AbstractThis report presents the results of a reconnaissance study

conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to deter-mine mercury (Hg) and other selected metal concentrations in Black bass (Micropterus spp.) from Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County, California. Total mercury concentrations were determined by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CVAAS) in fillets and whole bodies of each sampled fish. Selected metals scans were performed on whole bodies (less the fillets) by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Mercury concentrations in fil-let samples ranged from 0.06 to 0.52 micrograms per gram (µg/g) wet weight (ww). Total mercury (HgT) in the same fish whole-body samples ranged from 0.04 to 0.37 (µg/g, ww). Mercury concentrations in 17 percent of “legal catch size” (≥305 millimeters in length) were above the U.S. Environmen-tal Protection Agency water-quality criterion for the protection of human health of 0.30 µg/g (ww). These data will serve as a baseline for future monitoring efforts within Whiskeytown Lake.

IntroductionHistoric gold mining and naturally occurring mercury

from geothermal sources has left many areas of California subject to mercury contamination. (California Department of Conservation, 2000; Alpers and others, 2005). The Klamath-Trinity Mountains Region, specifically Trinity Lake and the upstream watershed, have previously documented elevated levels of mercury in resident sport fish (May and others, 2005). The highest density historical mine sites within the Clear Creek Watershed occur in the upper Clear Creek area,

and are likely sources of contamination to the local environ-ment and Whiskeytown Lake (fig. 1; Moore and Hughes, 2003). Run-off from abandoned mine lands has resulted in elevated levels of metals in the stream sediments (Moore and Hughes, 2003). Pristine water quality was identified by the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (WHIS) and the National Parks Service (NPS) as WHIS’s Government Per-formance Results Act Goal Ia4 in their General Management Plan (National Parks Service, 1999). Whiskeytown Lake also serves as the domestic water supply for several nearby cities including Redding and Anderson. Additionally, the lake stores water for the Central Valley Project and functions as a major recreation area in Northern California, providing recreation for 700,000 visitors annually. Sport fishing is a popular recre-ational activity at Whiskeytown Lake and its tributaries. The lake supports recreational fishing for several species including two black bass species, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoi-des) and spotted bass (M. punctulatus), which were collected as part of this reconnaissance effort. These lake fish samples are part of an ongoing effort that was begun in 2002 to charac-terize and monitor mercury and other metals ‘hot spots’ in the Upper Clear Creek watershed and WHIS.

During 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) con-ducted a reconnaissance investigation in cooperation with the WHIS to assess mercury contamination associated with his-torical mining in the Clear Creek watershed. During this study, the USGS collected 63 black bass (44 largemouth bass and 19 spotted bass) from three locations within Whiskeytown Lake: Clear Creek, Brandy Creek, and Whiskey Creek arms (fig. 1; tables 1 and 2). Mercury levels were determined in boneless/skinless fillet tissue of each fish and the remaining whole-body sample of the same fish. Additional trace-metal analyses were also done on the remaining whole body.


By Jason T. May1, Roger L. Hothem2, Marissa L. Bauer1, and Larry R. Brown1

1U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center2U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center

2 Concentrations of mercury and other metals in black bass, Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County, California, 2005

Whiskeytown NationalRecreation Area

Extent of sampling areas

EXPLANATION

Gold mine, production and prospect

Map Source: MAS/MILS (Minerals Availability System/Minerals Information Location System) database compiled by U.S. Bureau of Mines, now archived by USGS

Upper Clear Creek

Clear Creek ArmWhiskey Creek Arm

WhiskeytownLake

0

0 1 2

1 2 Miles

Kilometers

Brandy/Boulder Creek Area

CALIFORNIA

Area of mapPacific O

cean

SanFrancisco

Figure 1. Fish sampling locations within Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County, California.

3

Table 1. Sites within Whiskeytown Lake, California, sampled during 2005.

[USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; °, degree; ʹ, minutes; N, north; W, west]

Official site nameShort name code

USGS site codeRange of collection areas

Upper latitude

Upper longitude

Lower latitude

Lower longitude

Whiskeytown Lake at Brandy Creek Arm near Whiskeytown, California

LKBB 403710122341501 40° 37.544' N 122° 35.046' W 40° 36.971' N 122° 33.469' W

Whiskeytown Lake at Clear Creek Arm near Whiskeytown, California

LKCC 403854122354801 40° 38.836' N 122° 36.232ʹ W 40° 38.806' N 122° 35.394' W

Whiskeytown Lake at Whiskey Creek Arm near Whiskeytown, California

LKWC 403859122332301 40° 39.174' N 122° 33.393' W 40° 38.875' N 122° 33.358' W

Table 2. Total mercury concentrations in fillet and whole-body samples of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and spotted bass (M. punctulatus) collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, June 7–9, 2005. —Continued

[LKBB, Brandy/Boulder Creek area; LKCC, Clear Creek arm; LKWC, Whiskey Creek arm; LMBA, largemouth bass; SPBA, spotted bass; HgT, total mercury; g, gram; µg; microgram; mm, millimeter; wt., weight]

Site SpeciesTotal

length (mm)

Fillet code

Fillet sample mass

(g)

Fillet HgT (µg/g,

wet wt.)

Fillet moisture (percent)

Whole-body code

Whole body

sample mass (g)

Whole body HgT

(µg/g, wet wt.)

Whole body

moisture (percent)

LKBB LMBA 360 LKBB-060705-001F 63.7 0.119 81.8 LKBB-060705-001W 644.1 0.088 76.7LKBB LMBA 382 LKBB-060705-002F 76.7 0.157 82.6 LKBB-060705-002W 684.0 0.108 77.6LKBB LMBA 403 LKBB-060705-003F 114.5 0.343 80.4 LKBB-060705-003W 878.6 0.219 73.3LKBB LMBA 345 LKBB-060705-006F 47.0 0.137 81.9 LKBB-060705-006W 474.3 0.083 76.8LKBB LMBA 325 LKBB-060705-007F 62.3 0.214 81.4 LKBB-060705-007W 405.4 0.146 76.6LKBB LMBA 330 LKBB-060705-008F 53.5 0.198 81.3 LKBB-060705-008W 432.1 0.123 75.4LKBB LMBA 315 LKBB-060705-009F 43.7 0.169 81.7 LKBB-060705-009W 279.6 0.132 77.1LKBB LMBA 318 LKBB-060705-011F 34.8 0.084 81.7 LKBB-060705-011W 390.2 0.052 77.4LKBB LMBA 210 LKBB-060705-022F 7.8 0.096 81.3 LKBB-060705-022W 109.8 0.073 76.4LKBB LMBA 180 LKBB-060705-023F 10.8 0.069 81.7 LKBB-060705-023W 62.0 0.054 76.8LKBB LMBA 176 LKBB-060705-025F 4.8 0.135 82.9 LKBB-060705-025W 48.2 0.089 76.6LKBB SPBA 385 LKBB-060705-005F 76.1 0.233 79.7 LKBB-060705-005W 708.6 0.167 73.1LKBB SPBA 327 LKBB-060705-012F 28.5 0.209 82 LKBB-060705-012W 334.1 0.173 76.3LKBB SPBA 293 LKBB-060705-013F 15.7 0.091 81.1 LKBB-060705-013W 261.2 0.069 75.5LKBB SPBA 311 LKBB-060705-014F 28.1 0.267 80.9 LKBB-060705-014W 337.7 0.192 76.5LKBB SPBA 249 LKBB-060705-017F 23.7 0.104 79.5 LKBB-060705-017W 152.2 0.073 75.6LKBB SPBA 238 LKBB-060705-018F 18.6 0.118 79.8 LKBB-060705-018W 148.4 0.085 74.3LKBB SPBA 235 LKBB-060705-019F 12.7 0.148 81.6 LKBB-060705-019W 98.3 0.11 75.9LKBB SPBA 212 LKBB-060705-020F 13.0 0.096 79.3 LKBB-060705-020W 82.6 0.062 73.8LKBB SPBA 173 LKBB-060705-026F 6.1 0.092 82.4 LKBB-060705-026W 44.8 0.064 77.1LKBB SPBA 145 LKBB-060705-027F 3.3 0.074 81.4 LKBB-060705-027W 26.9 0.048 77.0

LKCC LMBA 443 LKCC-060805-001F 93.3 0.469 81.3 LKCC-060805-001W 1,056.10 0.258 74.7LKCC LMBA 385 LKCC-060805-002F 73.3 0.252 80.5 LKCC-060805-002W 660.1 0.138 74.9LKCC LMBA 370 LKCC-060805-003F 77.5 0.240 81.1 LKCC-060805-003W 699.5 0.134 75.7LKCC LMBA 370 LKCC-060805-004F 68.4 0.21 80.7 LKCC-060805-004W 653.2 0.127 75.5

Table 2. Total mercury concentrations in fillet and whole-body samples of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and spotted bass (M. punctulatus) collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, June 7–9, 2005.

[LKBB, Brandy/Boulder Creek area; LKCC, Clear Creek arm; LKWC, Whiskey Creek arm; LMBA, largemouth bass; SPBA, spotted bass; HgT, total mer-cury; g, gram; µg; microgram; mm, millimeter; wt., weight]


Table 2. Total mercury concentrations in fillet and whole-body samples of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and spotted bass (M. punctulatus) collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, June 7–9, 2005. —Continued

[LKBB, Brandy/Boulder Creek area; LKCC, Clear Creek arm; LKWC, Whiskey Creek arm; LMBA, largemouth bass; SPBA, spotted bass; HgT, total mercury; g, gram; µg; microgram; mm, millimeter; wt., weight]

Site SpeciesTotal

length (mm)

Fillet code

Fillet sample mass

(g)

Fillet HgT (µg/g,

wet wt.)

Fillet moisture (percent)

Whole-body code

Whole body

sample mass (g)

Whole body HgT

(µg/g, wet wt.)

Whole body

moisture (percent)

LKCC LMBA 345 LKCC-060805-006F 30.5 0.201 82.2 LKCC-060805-006W 487.8 0.15 76.0LKCC LMBA 273 LKCC-060805-011F 19.6 0.115 80.4 LKCC-060805-011W 267.1 0.088 78.3LKCC LMBA 223 LKCC-060805-012F 15.0 0.064 80.6 LKCC-060805-012W 125.8 0.045 75.2LKCC LMBA 248 LKCC-060805-013F 15.2 0.107 80.2 LKCC-060805-013W 174.9 0.08 75.9LKCC LMBA 260 LKCC-060805-014F 11.8 0.095 80.2 LKCC-060805-014W 213.3 0.072 79.1LKCC LMBA 200 LKCC-060805-015F 11.7 0.074 80.9 LKCC-060805-015W 96.1 0.054 76.9LKCC LMBA 195 LKCC-060805-016F 10.0 0.077 81.2 LKCC-060805-016W 68.7 0.055 76.4LKCC LMBA 335 LKCC-060905-005F 53.9 0.186 81.4 LKCC-060805-005W 500.6 0.108 76.3LKCC LMBA 283 LKCC-060905-008F 22.6 0.129 81.7 LKCC-060805-008W 273.5 0.106 77.1LKCC LMBA 350 LKCC-060905-021F 48.5 0.149 81.4 LKCC-060905-021W 521.6 0.088 76.1LKCC LMBA 300 LKCC-060905-022F 40.4 0.094 81.9 LKCC-060905-022W 329.5 0.074 77.6LKCC LMBA 275 LKCC-060905-023F 31.9 0.115 80.2 LKCC-060905-023W 292.7 0.071 74.5LKCC LMBA 202 LKCC-060905-025F 14.3 0.066 80.5 LKCC-060905-025W 84.3 0.049 74.3LKCC SPBA 174 LKCC-060805-017F 6.8 0.089 81.6 LKCC-060805-017W 41.9 0.074 76.8LKCC SPBA 288 LKCC-060905-010F 14.1 0.117 79.4 LKCC-060805-010W 247.3 0.076 76.5LKCC SPBA 275 LKCC-060905-026F 29.6 0.11 79.0 LKCC-060905-026W 230.3 0.078 72.7LKCC SPBA 290 LKCC-060905-027F 30.6 0.106 80.2 LKCC-060905-027W 250.8 0.082 73.9

LKWC LMBA 450 LKWC-060905-001F 93.6 0.39 81.7 LKWC-060905-001W 1,269.7 0.224 75.2LKWC LMBA 415 LKWC-060905-002F 79.1 0.33 80.9 LKWC-060905-002W 861.3 0.182 75.2LKWC LMBA 342 LKWC-060905-003F 36.2 0.166 81.8 LKWC-060905-003W 511.5 0.107 77.8LKWC LMBA 330 LKWC-060905-004F 31.7 0.241 80.7 LKWC-060905-004W 445.2 0.155 75.9LKWC LMBA 286 LKWC-060905-005F 37.0 0.218 80.5 LKWC-060905-005W 289.9 0.125 79.5LKWC LMBA 304 LKWC-060905-006F 41.0 0.178 81.4 LKWC-060905-006W 322.4 0.121 78.8LKWC LMBA 195 LKWC-060905-007F 10.2 0.197 80.5 LKWC-060905-007W 73.4 0.123 75.3LKWC LMBA 165 LKWC-060905-008F 6.2 0.154 80.5 LKWC-060905-008W 45.8 0.106 75.7LKWC LMBA 470 LKWC-060905-012F 64.9 0.518 82.8 LKWC-060905-012W 1,369.30 0.371 74.6LKWC LMBA 358 LKWC-060905-013F 59.8 0.139 80.7 LKWC-060905-013W 634.5 0.09 74.5LKWC LMBA 320 LKWC-060905-014F 26.2 0.193 81.6 LKWC-060905-014W 439.4 0.152 75.2LKWC LMBA 337 LKWC-060905-015F 27.5 0.127 82.4 LKWC-060905-015W 483.8 0.103 79.3LKWC LMBA 336 LKWC-060905-017F 30.0 0.2 80.8 LKWC-060905-017W 490.2 0.128 74.8LKWC LMBA 306 LKWC-060905-019F 19.6 0.115 81.3 LKWC-060905-019W 346.2 0.086 77.8LKWC LMBA 282 LKWC-060905-020F 14.3 0.175 83.2 LKWC-060905-020W 254.6 0.129 79.3LKWC LMBA 188 LKWC-060905-021F 4.0 0.124 80.7 LKWC-060905-021W 67.2 0.077 75.6LKWC SPBA 363 LKWC-060905-009F 30.9 0.329 77.9 LKWC-060905-009W 609 0.187 70.6LKWC SPBA 214 LKWC-060905-010F 11.1 0.171 79.8 LKWC-060905-010W 90.4 0.134 73.6LKWC SPBA 388 LKWC-060905-022F 34.8 0.228 80.0 LKWC-060905-022W 627.9 0.144 72.6LKWC SPBA 275 LKWC-060905-023F 13.8 0.094 79.5 LKWC-060905-023W 210.9 0.07 74.7LKWC SPBA 243 LKWC-060905-024F 12.2 0.11 79.9 LKWC-060905-024W 138.1 0.075 74.5

Laboratory Methods of Chemical Analysis 5

Purpose and ScopeThe purpose of this report is to present information

regarding the concentration of metals in sport fish from the Whiskeytown Lake. Data were collected by USGS person-nel. In addition, this data report adds to the limited number of studies for metal concentration in sport fish for this lake. The data from this report will be of use to scientists, managers, and other persons concerned with the metals concentrations in sport fish from Whiskeytown Lake and regional sport fisheries.

Field Methods and Sample Preservation Techniques

Field and laboratory preparatory methods were similar to those used by May and others (2000, 2005). All fish were collected by using electrofishing equipment and dip nets. Fish were held in clean containers with ambient water until they were weighed, to the nearest gram, and measured for standard and total length, in millimeters. After recording the length and mass, spines or scales were removed from each fish for future age determination. Each fish was then wrapped in clean, heavy-duty aluminum foil, labeled, placed in a plastic bag on wet ice and held for less than 8 hours. The fish were then taken to the USGS Dixon Field Station laboratory, where they were stored frozen until they were processed and sent to the contract laboratory for chemical analyses.

The processing of fish followed standard procedures (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1995). Fish were handled with powder-free latex gloves, and dissections were performed on a new sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil for each fish. High-quality stainless steel instruments and dispos-able scalpel blades were used in the processing of the fish samples. Scalpel blades were changed and instruments were cleaned thoroughly between samples. Cleaning the instru-ments involved washing with deionized water and laboratory detergent, acid washing, and finally rinsing with deionized water before and after dissection of each fish specimen.

Larger fish were thawed and scaled before dissection. Boneless and skinless fillet portions were taken from the left upper medial-axial region of the fish in an approximately rectangular shape. Excised tissues were placed directly into labeled, chemically cleaned borosilicate-glass jars on a pre-tared balance. The sample mass was recorded, and a Teflon-lined lid was screwed atop each jar and sealed with Parafilm.

Fish tissue samples were stored frozen in sealed sample jars until they were packed in coolers with dry ice and shipped to the contract analytical laboratory at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The remaining whole-body of each fish was packaged into jars with Teflon-lined lids and analyzed for total metals.

Laboratory Methods of Chemical Analysis

Analysis of mercury (Hg) in fish samples was done at the Trace Element Research Laboratory (TERL) at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, under the direc-tion of Dr. Robert Taylor. Samples were received frozen and were assigned unique identification numbers upon arrival at the laboratory. Tissue samples were transferred to labeled, tared polyethylene zip-lock bags, weighed, and lyophilized in a Labconco Freezone 12L freeze dryer. Moisture content was determined by weight loss following freeze drying for both fillet and whole-body samples.

Procedures that require tissue samples to be freeze-dried to determine mercury concentrations result in removal of the original moisture in the sample. Additionally, tissue mois-ture is a relative measure of the quality of the tissue sample. Moisture content was determined by weight loss upon freeze drying and is expressed as weight percentage of the origi-nal wet sample. Depending on sample size, either the whole sample or a representative aliquot was frozen and then dried under vacuum until a constant weight was attained. Samples were prepared and dried using plastic materials to minimize potential contamination artifacts.

Both fillet and whole-body tissue samples were prepared for analysis by powdering freeze dried tissue in a Spex 6800 cryomill. Samples were transferred to polycarbonate contain-ers, chilled to liquid nitrogen temperatures, and ground to a fine powder with a stainless steel impacter in the cryomill. Homogenized samples were stored in zip-lock bags until ana-lyzed. Aliquots of dry, powdered tissue samples were weighed to the nearest 0.0001 g and transferred to polypropylene diges-tion vessels. Samples were digested at a temperature of 95°C with nitric and hydrochloric acids and hydrogen peroxide (3, 1, and 2 mL milliliters, respectively) in a CPI graphite block digester. Digest solutions were made to volume with Milli-Q 18 MOhm (megaohm) deionized water and were stored in polyethylene bottles until analyzed.


Three methods were used to determine metal concentra-tions in fish tissue: cold-vapor atomic absorption spectros-copy (CVAAS) for HgT in filets and whole body; inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy (ICPMS); and, inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for other trace metals in the whole body.

Before samples were analyzed for Hg by CVAAS, the Hg was converted to the divalent mercury (Hg2+) form. Mercury was digested using a modified version of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) methods 245.5 and 245.6 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1991, 1995, 2001, 2003). Tissue samples were homogenized in the original sample con-tainers by using a Tekmar Tissumizer, and then subsampled. Tissue subsamples were digested with nitric acid, sulfuric acid, potassium permanganate, and potassium persulfate in polypropylene tubes in a water bath at 90 to 95 degrees Cel-sius (°C). Before analysis, hydroxylamine hydrochloride was added to reduce excess permanganate, and the samples were brought to volume using distilled-deionized water.

In the CVAAS procedure for determination of Hg, divalent mercury (Hg2+) in aqueous samples (digests of tissue samples) is reduced to the elemental state (Hg0) by a strong reducing agent (stannous chloride). Gaseous Hg0 enters the sweep gas and is introduced into an atomic absorption cell, where light produced by a mercury-vapor lamp is absorbed by the free Hg0 atoms. Mercury concentration in the sample is determined by comparing light absorption of the sample with that of external calibration standards. The range limit of detection (LOD) for these analyses was 0.01 to 0.06 μg/g, dry weight (dw).

Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy was used during the metals scan to determine arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se). Tissue digests were diluted with Milli-Q 18 MOhm deionized water as necessary to reduce their nitric acid concentrations to no greater than 2 per-cent v/v (volume by volume )and were then analyzed in pulse mode on a Perkin Elmer/Sciex DRC 2 ICP-MS instrument equipped with a dynamic reaction cell to eliminate molecular ion interferences on several elements (For example: As, Se, Cr, and V). Elemental concentrations were determined using

internal standards to compensate for slight matrix effects and instrumental performance changes.

Inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectros-copy was used to determine aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), cal-cium (Ca), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), nickel (Ni), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), strontium (Sr), titanium (Ti), and zinc (Zn) in fish samples. Digest solutions were analyzed undiluted on an axial Spectro CirOs instrument, using internal standards to compensate for matrix effects and instrument drift. Final calculations utilized off-peak background correc-tion and inter-element correction equations.

Quality Assurance and Quality ControlAs part of normal quality-assurance (QA) and quality-

control (QC) procedures, a standard number of procedural blanks, laboratory duplicate samples, spiked samples, and standard reference materials were analyzed at the TERL dur-ing 2005–2006 for each set of fish samples from Whiskeytown Lake.

Procedural blanks were analyzed to quantify the amount of total mercury and other metals that may have been added inadvertently during sample processing. A total of 4 proce-dural blanks were analyzed. All QA/QC results were within acceptable limits for TERL standards for all the samples.

Laboratory replicate samples were analyzed to provide a measure of the precision of the methods used for analysis. Fifteen of the 63 samples were used as laboratory replicates. After the sample was homogenized, two separate subsamples were taken and analyzed. Replicates had to meet certain criteria to fall within the 95 percent confidence interval. If the sample concentration was within 2 to 10 times the limit of detection (LOD), the replicate had to be within 20 percent of the original value. If the sample concentration was greater than 10 times the LOD, the replicate sample had to be within 10 percent of the original value.

Results and Discussion 7

Relative percentage difference (RPD) is another measure of precision for replicate samples. It is computed as 100 times the absolute value of the difference between two replicate analyses divided by their mean. Values of RPD ranged from 0.24 to 9.17 percent, well within acceptable limits are set by TERL.

Spiked samples were analyzed to provide a measure of the accuracy of the methods used for analysis. Subsamples from 18 of the 63 fish were used as spiked samples and were evaluated for spike recovery. After the sample was homoge-nized, two separate subsamples were taken, one was processed as a sample, and the other spiked with a known quantity of analyte. Spike recovery was calculated as the measured con-centration from the spiked sample minus the measured con-centration from the unspiked sample, divided by the expected concentration in the spiked sample, and multiplied by 100 per-cent. Spike recoveries were determined to be between 93.5 to 107 percent. Spike recoveries were considered acceptable if the average recovery was 85 to 115 percent (Robert Taylor, Trace Element Researach Laboratory, College Station, Texas, written commun., 2011).

Standard reference material (SRM) was analyzed to provide an estimate of range in accuracy of the laboratory instrument used for the determination of total mercury con-centration and to ensure that this method produced results that were comparable to those obtained by an independent organi-zation. The SRM used by the TERL was dogfish (Squalus sp.) muscle (DORM-2), certified by the National Research Council Canada (NRCC) as having a certified reference value (CRV) of 4.64 μg/g mercury (dry). The percentage recovery for the 18 analyses of DORM-2 in the three sample sets ranged from 82.7 to 107 percent, which is within acceptable limits (Robert Taylor, Trace Element Research Laboratory, College Station, Texas, written commun., 2011).

Results and DiscussionA total of 63 black bass (largemouth and spotted bass)

were collected and processed for total mercury in fillet and whole-body samples (table 2). Whole-body samples were also analyzed for total metals (table 3). Total mercury in fil-let samples ranged from 0.06 to 0.52 μg/g ww (wet weight) and 0.04 to 0.37 μg/g ww in whole-body samples. Mercury concentrations in 5 of the 30 black bass fillet samples that were of legal catch size (≥305 millimeters in length) exceeded the USEPA water-quality criterion for the protection of human health (0.3 μg/g ww), (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2001). Black bass collected from Whiskeytown Lake show a general trend of increasing mercury concentration with increasing size (figure 2) and similar concentrations of total mercury in fillet and whole-body samples (r2 = 0.937) (figure 3).

Each whole-body sample was processed for total metals scan. The following metals of ecological importance are reported alphabetically in μg/g dry weight with mean μg/g, range μg/g, and percent of non-detects (percent nd) in parentheses: arsenic (1.1μg/g , 1.82–0.746 μg/g), cadmium (1.11 μg/g , 1.35–0.024 μg/g, 2 percent nd), copper (2.18 μg/g , 9.54–0.89 μg/g), mercury (0.466 μg/g, 1.46–0.18 μg/g), nickel (5.83 μg/g, 172.0–0.46 μg/g, 24 percent nd), lead (0.088 μg/g, 0.205–0.047 μg/g, 90 percent nd), selenium (2.4 μg/g, 3.83–1.8 μg/g), and zinc (75.39 μg/g, 121.0–48.4 μg/g). Visual comparisons of the ranges of data from metal scans indicated that there is no substantial difference between collection area or species for any metal.

8 Concentrations of mercury and other metals in black bass, Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta County, California, 2005Ta

ble

3.

Conc

entra

tions

of s

elec

ted

met

als

and

sulfu

r in

who

le-b

ody

sam

ples

of l

arge

mou

th b

ass

(Mic

ropt

erus

sal

moi

des)

and

spo

tted

bass

(Mic

ropt

erus

pun

ctul

atus

) co

llect

ed fr

om W

hisk

eyto

wn

Lake

, Cal

iforn

ia, J

une

2005

. —Co

ntin

ued

[Con

cent

ratio

ns a

re in

mic

rogr

ams p

er g

ram

(μg/

g), d

ry w

eigh

t exc

ept w

here

oth

erw

ise

note

d. G

eom

etric

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r ele

men

t con

cent

ratio

ns; a

rithm

etic

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r len

gth,

moi

stur

e, a

nd

mas

s. A

bbre

viat

ions

: g, g

ram

; LK

BB

, Bra

ndy/

Bou

lder

Cre

ek a

rea;

LK

CC

, Cle

ar C

reek

are

a; L

KW

C, W

hisk

ey C

reek

are

a; m

m, m

illim

eter

; NC

, mea

n w

as n

ot c

alcu

late

d if

the

elem

ent w

as d

etec

ted

in fe

wer

th

an <

50 p

erce

nt o

f the

sam

ples

; –, n

ot a

pplic

able

; ^, d

iffer

ence

s in

labo

rato

ry d

ecte

ctio

n lim

it ar

e es

tabl

ishe

d by

labo

rato

ry c

alib

ratio

n cu

rves

for e

ach

batc

h of

che

mic

al a

naly

ses,

ther

efor

e, th

ey a

re n

ot th

e sa

me

for e

very

run;

<, b

elow

the

limit

of d

etec

tion;

%, p

erce

nt]

Spec

ies

Who

le b

ody

code

(s

ite-d

ate-

sam

ple)

Tota

l le

ngth

(m

m)

Moi

stur

e (%

)

Sam

ple

mas

s (g

)A

lum

inum

^A

rsen

icB

ariu

mCa

dmiu

mCa

lciu

mCh

rom

ium

Co

pper

Ir

on

Mer

cury

M

agne

sium

Largemouth Bass (LMBA)

LKB

B-0

6070

5-00

1W36

076

.764

4.1

140

0.93

10.9

1.35

60,7

0011

.32.

928

00.

377

1,65

0LK

BB

-060

705-

002W

382

77.6

684

66.6

1.16

9.25

0.07

75,9

0021

.92.

4125

40.

481

1,95

0LK

BB

-060

705-

003W

403

73.3

878.

6<4

.64

1.27

5.09

0.11

63,0

0036

54.

741,

900

0.82

11,

650

LKB

B-0

6070

5-00

6W34

576

.847

4.3

9.94

1.01

10.9

0.05

68,3

0035

2.52

288

0.35

91,

700

LKB

B-0

6070

5-00

7W32

576

.640

5.4

9.66

1.04

5.53

0.05

58,5

008.

921.

3214

60.

626

1,65

0LK

BB

-060

705-

008W

330

75.4

432.

18.

610.

995.

640.

0555

,400

5.62

3.51

111

0.5

1,59

0LK

BB

-060

705-

009W

315

77.1

279.

6<4

.66

0.89

4.27

0.05

46,8

004.

361.

610

80.

578

1,56

0LK

BB

-060

705-

011W

318

77.4

390.

25.

460.

97.

070.

0246

,600

3.55

1.45

98.9

0.23

21,

530

LKB

B-0

6070

5-02

2W21

076

.410

9.8

6.7

1.2

7.52

0.06

69,7

00<0

.47

1.41

52.7

0.31

11,

860

LKB

B-0

6070

5-02

3W18

076

.862

6.6

1.29

7.86

0.05

62,1

003.

142.

5271

.70.

232

1,84

0LK

BB

-060

705-

025W

176

76.6

48.2

12.7

1.82

6.13

0.06

92,7

002.

881.

8789

.60.

382,

010

Mea

n fo

r al

l LM

BA

col

lect

ed

304

76.4

400

10.2

1.11

6.9

0.07

62,4

407.

645

2.20

416

3.8

0.41

421,

720

Spotted bass (SPBA)

LKB

B-0

6070

5-00

5W38

573

.170

8.6

6.4

0.85

4.93

0.05

58,8

0079

.61.

9771

00.

619

1,57

0LK

BB

-060

705-

012W

327

76.3

334.

111

.31.

074.

46<0

.02

56,8

002.

771.

2272

.30.

729

1,63

0LK

BB

-060

705-

013W

293

75.5

261.

215

.10.

986.

040.

0455

,700

2.72

0.89

81.4

0.28

31,

750

LKB

B-0

6070

5-01

4W31

176

.533

7.7

8.08

0.9

4.91

0.03

48,0

000.

551.

2966

.30.

819

1,57

0LK

BB

-060

705-

017W

249

75.6

152.

214

.20.

753.

230.

0640

,000

2.5

1.49

96.5

0.30

11,

410

LKB

B-0

6070

5-01

8W23

874

.314

8.4

6.01

1.27

6.06

0.05

54,8

001.

061.

449

0.33

11,

660

LKB

B-0

6070

5-01

9W23

575

.998

.313

.91.

136.

640.

0666

,700

1.04

1.34

61.1

0.45

71,

850

LKB

B-0

6070

5-02

0W21

273

.882

.6<4

.74

1.44

5.87

0.02

58,0

001.

681.

0140

.70.

235

1,65

0LK

BB

-060

705-

026W

173

77.1

44.8

<6.8

21.

375.

20.

0567

,500

2.05

1.83

65.4

0.27

81,

750

LKB

B-0

6070

5-02

7W14

577

26.9

13.6

1.17

7.02

0.09

68,7

001.

711.

9779

.30.

208

1,82

0M

ean

for

all S

PBA

col

lect

ed

257

75.5

219

81.

075.

320.

0456

,800

2.35

81.

396

83.7

10.

3812

1,66

1M

ean

for

all fi

sh (b

oth

spec

ies)

fr

om L

KB

B–

––

9.12

71.

092

6.13

20.

0559

,700

4.36

71.

773

119

0.39

811,

692

Perc

enta

ge o

f fish

from

LK

BB

w

ith c

once

ntra

tions

abo

ve

dete

ctio

n lim

its

––

–85

.710

010

095

.210

095

.210

010

010

010

0

Tabl

e 3.

Co

ncen

tratio

ns o

f sel

ecte

d m

etal

s an

d su

lfur i

n w

hole

-bod

y sa

mpl

es o

f lar

gem

outh

bas

s (M

icro

pter

us s

alm

oide

s) a

nd s

potte

d ba

ss (M

icro

pter

us p

unct

ulat

us)

colle

cted

from

Whi

skey

tow

n La

ke, C

alifo

rnia

, Jun

e 20

05.

[Con

cent

ratio

ns a

re in

mic

rogr

ams p

er g

ram

(μg/

g), d

ry w

eigh

t exc

ept w

here

oth

erw

ise

note

d. G

eom

etric

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r ele

men

t con

cent

ratio

ns; a

rithm

etic

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r len

gth,

moi

stur

e, a

nd

mas

s. A

bbre

viat

ions

: g, g

ram

; LK

BB

, Bra

ndy/

Bou

lder

Cre

ek a

rea;

LK

CC

, Cle

ar C

reek

are

a; L

KW

C, W

hisk

ey C

reek

are

a; m

m, m

illim

eter

; NC

, mea

n w

as n

ot c

alcu

late

d if

the

elem

ent w

as d

etec

ted

in fe

wer

th

an <

50 p

erce

nt o

f the

sam

ples

; –, n

ot a

pplic

able

; ^, d

iffer

ence

s in

labo

rato

ry d

ecte

ctio

n lim

it ar

e es

tabl

ishe

d by

labo

rato

ry c

alib

ratio

n cu

rves

for e

ach

batc

h of

che

mic

al a

naly

ses,

ther

efor

e, th

ey a

re n

ot th

e sa

me

for e

very

run;

<, b

elow

the

limit

of d

etec

tion;

%, p

erce

nt]

Results and Discussion 9Ta

ble

3.

Conc

entra

tions

of s

elec

ted

met

als

and

sulfu

r in

who

le-b

ody

sam

ples

of l

arge

mou

th b

ass

(Mic

ropt

erus

sal

moi

des)

and

spo

tted

bass

(Mic

ropt

erus

pun

ctul

atus

) co

llect

ed fr

om W

hisk

eyto

wn

Lake

, Cal

iforn

ia, J

une

2005

. —Co

ntin

ued

[Con

cent

ratio

ns a

re in

mic

rogr

ams p

er g

ram

(μg/

g), d

ry w

eigh

t exc

ept w

here

oth

erw

ise

note

d. G

eom

etric

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r ele

men

t con

cent

ratio

ns; a

rithm

etic

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r len

gth,

moi

stur

e, a

nd

mas

s. A

bbre

viat

ions

: g, g

ram

; LK

BB

, Bra

ndy/

Bou

lder

Cre

ek a

rea;

LK

CC

, Cle

ar C

reek

are

a; L

KW

C, W

hisk

ey C

reek

are

a; m

m, m

illim

eter

; NC

, mea

n w

as n

ot c

alcu

late

d if

the

elem

ent w

as d

etec

ted

in fe

wer

th

an <

50 p

erce

nt o

f the

sam

ples

; –, n

ot a

pplic

able

; ^, d

iffer

ence

s in

labo

rato

ry d

ecte

ctio

n lim

it ar

e es

tabl

ishe

d by

labo

rato

ry c

alib

ratio

n cu

rves

for e

ach

batc

h of

che

mic

al a

naly

ses,

ther

efor

e, th

ey a

re n

ot th

e sa

me

for e

very

run;

<, b

elow

the

limit

of d

etec

tion;

%, p

erce

nt]

Spec

ies

Who

le b

ody

code

(s

ite-d

ate-

sam

ple)

Tota

l le

ngth

(m

m)

Moi

stur

e (%

)

Sam

ple

mas

s (g

)A

lum

inum

^A

rsen

icB

ariu

mCa

dmiu

mCa

lciu

mCh

rom

ium

Co

pper

Ir

on

Mer

cury

M

agne

sium


LKC

C-0

6080

5-00

1W44

374

.71,

056.

10<4

.88

13.

60.

1257

,400

4.11

1.78

90.7

1.02

1,55

0LK

CC

-060

805-

002W

385

74.9

660.

18.

451.

138.

390.

1171

,200

1.91

5.34

86.4

0.54

81,

700

LKC

C-0

6080

5-00

3W37

075

.769

9.5

78.2

1.12

7.32

0.12

60,5

001.

652.

217

30.

551

1,63

0LK

CC

-060

805-

004W

370

75.5

653.

255

.51.

076.

020.

0561

,900

3.02

2.15

136

0.51

71,

700

LKC

C-0

6080

5-00

5W33

576

.350

0.6

14.1

0.94

8.24

0.14

53,3

004.

019.

5491

.50.

456

1,45

0LK

CC

-060

805-

006W

345

7648

7.8

21.3

1.18

10.3

0.08

60,0

003.

324.

3416

20.

626

1,80

0LK

CC

-060

805-

008W

283

77.1

273.

511

.90.

987.

250.

0957

,900

1.91

1.36

102

0.46

51,

670

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

1W27

378

.326

7.1

322

1.51

6.55

0.1

39,1

002.

672.

8664

10.

405

1,55

0LK

CC

-060

805-

012W

223

75.2

125.

815

.31.

183.

590.

0359

,000

0.91

1.3

57.4

0.18

1,57

0LK

CC

-060

805-

013W

248

75.9

174.

911

.50.

942.

550.

0451

,000

0.86

0.99

51.8

0.33

31,

560

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

4W26

079

.121

3.3

14.7

0.78

3.4

0.04

28,4

002.

221.

2397

.20.

343

1,39

0LK

CC

-060

805-

015W

200

76.9

96.1

131.

294.

240.

0658

,800

0.87

1.88

590.

232

1,62

0LK

CC

-060

805-

016W

195

76.4

68.7

5.25

1.11

3.34

0.03

57,9

000.

611.

1243

0.23

51,

660

LKC

C-0

6090

5-02

1W35

076

.152

1.6

<4.6

81.

137.

640.

0565

,400

1.76

1.13

84.6

0.36

81,

730

LKC

C-0

6090

5-02

2W30

077

.632

9.5

16.9

0.97

6.09

0.05

39,5

001.

054.

4590

0.33

11,

440

LKC

C-0

6090

5-02

3W27

574

.529

2.7

8.17

1.08

6.4

0.05

48,1

001.

694.

1586

.30.

278

1,41

0LK

CC

-060

905-

025W

202

74.3

84.3

22.8

1.19

5.6

0.07

58,6

000.

962.

5976

.30.

189

1,61

0M

ean

for

all L

MB

A c

olle

cted

29

7.5

76.1

538

2.64

15.2

71.

083

5.50

70.

064

53,4

201.

687

2.28

997

.56

0.37

651,

586

Spotted bass (SPBA)

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

0W28

876

.524

7.3

110.

984.

750.

0446

,900

1.01

0.98

68.2

0.32

51,

560

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

7W17

476

.841

.97.

241.

183.

070.

0751

,900

0.81

1.03

50.5

0.31

71,

700

LKC

C-0

6090

5-02

6W27

572

.723

0.3

<4.6

60.

995.

470.

149

,800

4.36

114

60.

284

1,38

0LK

CC

-060

905-

027W

290

73.9

250.

810

.30.

915.

130.

0846

,700

3.49

1.44

117

0.31

31,

450

Mea

n fo

r al

l SPB

A c

olle

cted

256.

874

.98

192.

576.

612

1.01

14.

498

0.06

748

,780

1.87

51.

098

87.5

80.

3094

1,51

8M

ean

for

all fi

sh (b

oth

spec

ies)

co

llect

ed fr

om L

KC

C–

––

13.0

21.

065.

290.

064

52,5

001.

721

1.99

95.5

70.

3627

1,57

3

Perc

enta

ge o

f fish

from

LK

CC

w

ith c

once

ntra

tions

abo

ve

dete

ctio

n lim

its

––

–85

.710

010

010

010

010

010

010

010

010

0


ble

3.

Conc

entra

tions

of s

elec

ted

met

als

and

sulfu

r in

who

le-b

ody

sam

ples

of l

arge

mou

th b

ass

(Mic

ropt

erus

sal

moi

des)

and

spo

tted

bass

(Mic

ropt

erus

pun

ctul

atus

) co

llect

ed fr

om W

hisk

eyto

wn

Lake

, Cal

iforn

ia, J

une

2005

. —Co

ntin

ued

[Con

cent

ratio

ns a

re in

mic

rogr

ams p

er g

ram

(μg/

g), d

ry w

eigh

t exc

ept w

here

oth

erw

ise

note

d. G

eom

etric

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r ele

men

t con

cent

ratio

ns; a

rithm

etic

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r len

gth,

moi

stur

e, a

nd

mas

s. A

bbre

viat

ions

: g, g

ram

; LK

BB

, Bra

ndy/

Bou

lder

Cre

ek a

rea;

LK

CC

, Cle

ar C

reek

are

a; L

KW

C, W

hisk

ey C

reek

are

a; m

m, m

illim

eter

; NC

, mea

n w

as n

ot c

alcu

late

d if

the

elem

ent w

as d

etec

ted

in fe

wer

th

an <

50 p

erce

nt o

f the

sam

ples

; –, n

ot a

pplic

able

; ^, d

iffer

ence

s in

labo

rato

ry d

ecte

ctio

n lim

it ar

e es

tabl

ishe

d by

labo

rato

ry c

alib

ratio

n cu

rves

for e

ach

batc

h of

che

mic

al a

naly

ses,

ther

efor

e, th

ey a

re n

ot th

e sa

me

for e

very

run;

<, b

elow

the

limit

of d

etec

tion;

%, p

erce

nt]

Spec

ies

Who

le b

ody

code

(s

ite-d

ate-

sam

ple)

Tota

l le

ngth

(m

m)

Moi

stur

e (%

)

Sam

ple

mas

s (g

)A

lum

inum

^A

rsen

icB

ariu

mCa

dmiu

mCa

lciu

mCh

rom

ium

Co

pper

Ir

on

Mer

cury

M

agne

sium


LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

1W45

075

.21,

269.

7<4

.38

0.94

7.06

0.17

58,0

001.

072.

7778

.10.

902

1,50

0LK

WC

-060

905-

002W

415

75.2

861.

34.

751.

129.

840.

1259

,400

1.64

2.25

101

0.73

51,

570

LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

3W34

277

.851

1.5

106

1.27

9.53

0.11

67,4

002.

961.

8619

50.

484

1,84

0LK

WC

-060

905-

004W

330

75.9

445.

211

.40.

957.

590.

1241

,100

3.72

2.67

177

0.64

31,

380

LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

5W28

679

.528

9.9

141.

2515

.31.

0457

,000

0.80

64.

4612

30.

611,

700

LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

6W30

478

.832

2.4

13.5

0.93

7.33

0.28

45,5

002.

824.

9713

50.

573

1,60

0LK

WC

-060

905-

007W

195

75.3

73.4

10.2

1.39

4.35

0.06

258

,100

1.25

2.01

69.4

0.49

71,

790

LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

8W16

575

.745

.817

.71.

524.

930.

112

59,2

002.

112.

2180

.70.

438

1,73

0LK

WC

-060

905-

012W

470

74.6

1,36

9.3

<4.5

41.

084.

320.

1752

,200

3.82

1.02

83.7

1.46

1,49

0LK

WC

-060

905-

013W

358

74.5

634.

54.

550.

996.

860.

0745

,600

1.84

1.33

920.

354

1,42

0LK

WC

-060

905-

014W

320

75.2

439.

4<4

.38

0.96

2.31

0.08

34,4

002.

511.

3164

.80.

611

1,28

0LK

WC

-060

905-

015W

337

79.3

483.

826

.80.

927.

620.

0539

,800

1.47

1.63

84.1

0.49

91,

430

LKW

C-0

6090

5-01

7W33

674

.849

0.2

<4.3

81.

244.

950.

0550

,900

4.36

1.59

81.6

0.50

91,

450

LKW

C-0

6090

5-01

9W30

677

.834

6.2

8.57

1.04

7.01

0.07

46,1

001.

472.

5690

.90.

386

1,60

0LK

WC

-060

905-

020W

282

79.3

254.

6<4

.74

0.89

5.26

0.09

45,7

001.

521.

5779

.50.

625

1,50

0LK

WC

-060

905-

021W

188

75.6

67.2

9.33

1.1

4.64

0.14

59,1

001.

312.

8751

.10.

314

1,65

0M

ean

for

all L

MB

A c

olle

cted

3

17.8

76.5

349

4.03

7.53

31.

085

6.24

40.

115

50,4

501.

934

2.11

693

.13

0.56

071,

551

Spotted bass (SPBA)

LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

9W36

370

.660

9<4

.70

0.86

1.94

0.07

30,4

001.

971.

2767

.50.

636

1,15

0LK

WC

-060

905-

010W

214

73.6

90.4

<4.7

21.

076.

540.

6450

,300

1.01

1.25

40.6

0.50

81,

690

LKW

C-0

6090

5-02

2W38

872

.662

7.9

<4.6

61.

15.

990.

0354

,800

1.84

1.02

59.1

0.52

41,

590

LKW

C-0

6090

5-02

3W27

574

.721

0.9

7.79

1.68

4.71

0.06

54,2

000.

602

1.84

43.5

0.27

71,

700

LKW

C-0

6090

5-02

4W24

374

.513

8.1

4.54

1.51

3.83

0.06

50,2

000.

648

1.51

45.7

0.29

51,

640

Mea

n fo

r al

l SPB

A c

olle

cted

29

6.6

73.2

335.

27N

C1.

207

4.24

46,9

501.

074

1.35

150

.30.

4248

1,53

8M

ean

for

all fi

sh (b

oth

spec

ies)

co

llect

ed fo

r L

KW

C–

––

6.23

51.

113

5.69

0.11

49,5

901.

681

1.90

280

.42

0.52

481,

548

Perc

enta

ge o

f fish

from

LK

WC

w

ith c

once

ntra

tions

abo

ve

dete

ctio

n lim

its

––

–61

.910

010

010

010

010

010

010

010

010

0

Mea

n fo

r al

l fish

(bot

h sp

ecie

s)

colle

cted

from

site

s–

––

9.05

1.09

5.69

0.07

53,7

702.

329

1.88

697

.07

0.42

321,

603


ble

3.

Conc

entra

tions

of s

elec

ted

met

als

and

sulfu

r in

who

le-b

ody

sam

ples

of l

arge

mou

th b

ass

(Mic

ropt

erus

sal

moi

des)

and

spo

tted

bass

(Mic

ropt

erus

pun

ctul

atus

) co

llect

ed fr

om W

hisk

eyto

wn

Lake

, Cal

iforn

ia, J

une

2005

. —Co

ntin

ued

[Con

cent

ratio

ns a

re in

mic

rogr

ams p

er g

ram

(μg/

g), d

ry w

eigh

t exc

ept w

here

oth

erw

ise

note

d. G

eom

etric

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r ele

men

t con

cent

ratio

ns; a

rithm

etic

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r len

gth,

moi

stur

e, a

nd

mas

s. A

bbre

viat

ions

: g, g

ram

; LK

BB

, Bra

ndy/

Bou

lder

Cre

ek a

rea;

LK

CC

, Cle

ar C

reek

are

a; L

KW

C, W

hisk

ey C

reek

are

a; m

m, m

illim

eter

; NC

, mea

n w

as n

ot c

alcu

late

d if

the

elem

ent w

as d

etec

ted

in fe

wer

th

an <

50 p

erce

nt o

f the

sam

ples

; –, n

ot a

pplic

able

; ^, d

iffer

ence

s in

labo

rato

ry d

ecte

ctio

n lim

it ar

e es

tabl

ishe

d by

labo

rato

ry c

alib

ratio

n cu

rves

for e

ach

batc

h of

che

mic

al a

naly

ses,

ther

efor

e, th

ey a

re n

ot th

e sa

me

for e

very

run;

<, b

elow

the

limit

of d

etec

tion;

%, p

erce

nt]

Spec

ies

Who

le b

ody

code

(s

ite-d

ate-

sam

ple)

Tota

l le

ngth

(m

m)

Moi

stur

e (%

)

Sam

ple

mas

s (g

)M

anga

nese

N

icke

l^Ph

osph

orus

Pota

ssiu

mSo

dium

Sulfu

r Se

leni

umSt

ront

ium

Tita

nium

Zinc


LKB

B-0

6070

5-00

1W36

076

.764

4.1

35.3

4.91

32,7

0011

,900

4,77

08,

360

2.42

125

5.43

81.7

LKB

B-0

6070

5-00

2W38

277

.668

419

.610

.538

,500

11,7

005,

140

7,85

02.

1113

03.

9161

.7LK

BB

-060

705-

003W

403

73.3

878.

633

.817

232

,900

10,5

004,

140

8,12

01.

9698

.11.

2660

.8LK

BB

-060

705-

006W

345

76.8

474.

315

.514

.335

,400

11,7

005,

120

8,40

02.

3513

31.

1464

.2LK

BB

-060

705-

007W

325

76.6

405.

45.

462.

7132

,200

11,9

004,

350

9,05

02.

3111

61.

3466

.1LK

BB

-060

705-

008W

330

75.4

432.

15.

842.

5730

,400

11,2

004,

160

8,99

02.

1687

0.93

67.2

LKB

B-0

6070

5-00

9W31

577

.127

9.6

6.55

2.18

27,9

0012

,600

4,02

09,

820

2.59

75.9

0.78

70.1

LKB

B-0

6070

5-01

1W31

877

.439

0.2

3.05

1.62

27,2

0012

,400

4,39

08,

760

2.41

94.2

0.86

60.9

LKB

B-0

6070

5-02

2W21

076

.410

9.8

10.3

<0.4

6937

,400

10,9

003,

870

7,86

02.

3610

51.

3476

.4LK

BB

-060

705-

023W

180

76.8

6215

.71.

3434

,600

11,1

004,

000

8,42

02.

5810

51.

0692

.8LK

BB

-060

705-

025W

176

76.6

48.2

8.4

1.25

44,7

0010

,100

5,12

08,

090

2.28

146

2.41

121

Mea

n fo

r al

l LM

BA

col

lect

ed

304

76.4

400

11.1

3.57

733

,670

11,4

304,

438

8,50

22.

314

108.

51.

501

73.1

3

Spotted bass (SPBA)

LKB

B-0

6070

5-00

5W38

573

.170

8.6

10.9

30.4

31,6

0010

,700

4,04

08,

040

1.92

92.7

0.93

59.9

LKB

B-0

6070

5-01

2W32

776

.333

4.1

2.03

0.89

31,9

0012

,300

4,24

08,

760

2.44

981.

1582

.4LK

BB

-060

705-

013W

293

75.5

261.

23.

010.

831

,900

13,5

004,

130

8,95

02.

111

01.

2871

LKB

B-0

6070

5-01

4W31

176

.533

7.7

2.08

<0.4

6128

,600

13,0

003,

640

8,50

02.

2485

.30.

9262

.8LK

BB

-060

705-

017W

249

75.6

152.

28.

090.

9625

,400

12,1

003,

200

7,73

01.

9572

.63.

6256

.5LK

BB

-060

705-

018W

238

74.3

148.

43.

940.

5531

,100

11,5

003,

860

7,75

02.

0898

.91.

0891

.5LK

BB

-060

705-

019W

235

75.9

98.3

2.69

<0.4

7735

,800

11,1

003,

150

8,15

02.

3412

61.

392

.3LK

BB

-060

705-

020W

212

73.8

82.6

3.68

0.69

32,6

0010

,500

3,67

07,

330

1.85

108

0.94

97.1

LKB

B-0

6070

5-02

6W17

377

.144

.84.

341.

1737

,800

11,2

004,

310

9,09

02.

4611

41.

1711

6LK

BB

-060

705-

027W

145

7726

.913

.30.

7437

,300

11,9

004,

110

9,11

02.

7411

11.

6711

3M

ean

for

all S

PBA

col

lect

ed

257

75.5

219

4.36

70.

9065

32,1

9011

,740

3,81

48,

319

2.19

610

0.5

1.28

81.7

7M

ean

for

all fi

sh (b

oth

spec

ies)

fr

om L

KB

B–

––

7.11

71.

8632

,960

11,5

804,

129

8,41

42.

257

104.

61.

391

77.1

3

Perc

enta

ge o

f fish

from

LK

BB

w

ith c

once

ntra

tions

abo

ve

dete

ctio

n lim

its

––

–10

085

.710

010

010

010

010

010

010

010

0


ble

3.

Conc

entra

tions

of s

elec

ted

met

als

and

sulfu

r in

who

le-b

ody

sam

ples

of l

arge

mou

th b

ass

(Mic

ropt

erus

sal

moi

des)

and

spo

tted

bass

(Mic

ropt

erus

pun

ctul

atus

) co

llect

ed fr

om W

hisk

eyto

wn

Lake

, Cal

iforn

ia, J

une

2005

. —Co

ntin

ued

[Con

cent

ratio

ns a

re in

mic

rogr

ams p

er g

ram

(μg/

g), d

ry w

eigh

t exc

ept w

here

oth

erw

ise

note

d. G

eom

etric

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r ele

men

t con

cent

ratio

ns; a

rithm

etic

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r len

gth,

moi

stur

e, a

nd

mas

s. A

bbre

viat

ions

: g, g

ram

; LK

BB

, Bra

ndy/

Bou

lder

Cre

ek a

rea;

LK

CC

, Cle

ar C

reek

are

a; L

KW

C, W

hisk

ey C

reek

are

a; m

m, m

illim

eter

; NC

, mea

n w

as n

ot c

alcu

late

d if

the

elem

ent w

as d

etec

ted

in fe

wer

th

an <

50 p

erce

nt o

f the

sam

ples

; –, n

ot a

pplic

able

; ^, d

iffer

ence

s in

labo

rato

ry d

ecte

ctio

n lim

it ar

e es

tabl

ishe

d by

labo

rato

ry c

alib

ratio

n cu

rves

for e

ach

batc

h of

che

mic

al a

naly

ses,

ther

efor

e, th

ey a

re n

ot th

e sa

me

for e

very

run;

<, b

elow

the

limit

of d

etec

tion;

%, p

erce

nt]

Spec

ies

Who

le b

ody

code

(s

ite-d

ate-

sam

ple)

Tota

l le

ngth

(m

m)

Moi

stur

e (%

)

Sam

ple

mas

s (g

)M

anga

nese

N

icke

l^Ph

osph

orus

Pota

ssiu

mSo

dium

Sulfu

r Se

leni

umSt

ront

ium

Tita

nium

Zinc


LKC

C-0

6080

5-00

1W44

374

.71,

056.

104.

911.

8531

,600

11,1

004,

000

8,20

02.

2489

.60.

961

.9LK

CC

-060

805-

002W

385

74.9

660.

17.

340.

936

,400

10,3

004,

340

7,88

01.

813

61.

2165

.3LK

CC

-060

805-

003W

370

75.7

699.

510

.60.

8733

,200

11,6

004,

430

8,09

02.

0411

63.

1971

.1LK

CC

-060

805-

004W

370

75.5

653.

27.

531.

5633

,600

11,5

004,

400

7,99

02.

0696

.43.

1458

.7LK

CC

-060

805-

005W

335

76.3

500.

67.

051.

6229

,200

10,6

004,

500

7,99

02.

2190

.71.

4870

.8LK

CC

-060

805-

006W

345

7648

7.8

7.87

1.42

32,5

0012

,600

4,41

08,

670

2.04

123

1.52

73.2

LKC

C-0

6080

5-00

8W28

377

.127

3.5

12.5

0.64

32,6

0012

,400

4,19

08,

250

2.21

108

1.55

74.3

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

1W27

378

.326

7.1

251.

6625

,200

12,7

003,

490

8,44

02.

3161

.110

.666

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

2W22

375

.212

5.8

7.8

<0.4

6532

,700

10,3

003,

500

8,44

02.

0587

.71.

4572

.9LK

CC

-060

805-

013W

248

75.9

174.

94.

08<0

.483

29,9

0011

,400

3,52

09,

090

2.02

66.4

1.3

67.9

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

4W26

079

.121

3.3

3.22

0.59

20,5

0013

,600

3,21

09,

990

2.24

48.7

1.49

53.8

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

5W20

076

.996

.114

.6<0

.468

33,1

0011

,500

4,01

08,

780

2.13

82.5

1.27

79.7

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

6W19

576

.468

.75.

04<0

.479

33,3

0012

,000

3,67

09,

250

2.4

80.3

1.04

84.1

LKC

C-0

6090

5-02

1W35

076

.152

1.6

130.

7834

,600

11,6

004,

530

8,15

02.

2611

70.

9772

.1LK

CC

-060

905-

022W

300

77.6

329.

55.

290.

6924

,300

12,3

004,

190

8,99

02.

3481

.31.

1163

.3LK

CC

-060

905-

023W

275

74.5

292.

79.

480.

8827

,600

10,6

003,

760

8,27

02.

1186

.70.

9666

.5LK

CC

-060

905-

025W

202

74.3

84.3

13.4

<0.4

8833

,000

11,0

003,

850

8,54

02.

0989

.71.

6684

Mea

n fo

r al

l LM

BA

col

lect

ed

297.

576

.15

382.

648.

180.

672

30,4

8011

,560

3,97

98,

514

2.14

589

.06

1.58

769

.28

Spot-ted bass (SPBA)

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

0W28

876

.524

7.3

2.71

0.61

28,2

0011

,800

3,51

08,

480

2.13

92.5

1.09

72.7

LKC

C-0

6080

5-01

7W17

476

.841

.93.

09<0

.481

30,9

0012

,000

3,75

08,

550

2.7

82.9

1.01

115

LKC

C-0

6090

5-02

6W27

572

.723

0.3

4.13

0.52

28,5

0010

,000

3,34

07,

490

2.03

82.4

6.29

56.4

LKC

C-0

6090

5-02

7W29

073

.925

0.8

3.07

<0.4

6727

,200

10,8

003,

320

7,52

01.

8992

.216

.271

.5M

ean

for

all S

PBA

col

lect

ed25

6.8

74.9

819

2.57

3.21

0.36

4328

,670

11,1

203,

476

7,99

42.

167

87.3

73.

254

76.2

Mea

n fo

r al

l fish

(bot

h sp

ecie

s)

colle

cted

from

LK

CC

––

–6.

845

0.59

8130

,130

11,4

803,

878

8,41

22.

149

88.7

31.

8270

.55

Perc

enta

ge o

f fish

from

LK

CC

w

ith c

once

ntra

tions

abo

ve

dete

ctio

n lim

its

––

–10

066

.710

010

010

010

010

010

010

010

0


ble

3.

Conc

entra

tions

of s

elec

ted

met

als

and

sulfu

r in

who

le-b

ody

sam

ples

of l

arge

mou

th b

ass

(Mic

ropt

erus

sal

moi

des)

and

spo

tted

bass

(Mic

ropt

erus

pun

ctul

atus

) co

llect

ed fr

om W

hisk

eyto

wn

Lake

, Cal

iforn

ia, J

une

2005

. —Co

ntin

ued

[Con

cent

ratio

ns a

re in

mic

rogr

ams p

er g

ram

(μg/

g), d

ry w

eigh

t exc

ept w

here

oth

erw

ise

note

d. G

eom

etric

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r ele

men

t con

cent

ratio

ns; a

rithm

etic

mea

ns a

re re

porte

d fo

r len

gth,

moi

stur

e, a

nd

mas

s. A

bbre

viat

ions

: g, g

ram

; LK

BB

, Bra

ndy/

Bou

lder

Cre

ek a

rea;

LK

CC

, Cle

ar C

reek

are

a; L

KW

C, W

hisk

ey C

reek

are

a; m

m, m

illim

eter

; NC

, mea

n w

as n

ot c

alcu

late

d if

the

elem

ent w

as d

etec

ted

in fe

wer

th

an <

50 p

erce

nt o

f the

sam

ples

; –, n

ot a

pplic

able

; ^, d

iffer

ence

s in

labo

rato

ry d

ecte

ctio

n lim

it ar

e es

tabl

ishe

d by

labo

rato

ry c

alib

ratio

n cu

rves

for e

ach

batc

h of

che

mic

al a

naly

ses,

ther

efor

e, th

ey a

re n

ot th

e sa

me

for e

very

run;

<, b

elow

the

limit

of d

etec

tion;

%, p

erce

nt]

Spec

ies

Who

le b

ody

code

(s

ite-d

ate-

sam

ple)

Tota

l le

ngth

(m

m)

Moi

stur

e (%

)

Sam

ple

mas

s (g

)M

anga

nese

N

icke

l^Ph

osph

orus

Pota

ssiu

mSo

dium

Sulfu

r Se

leni

umSt

ront

ium

Tita

nium

Zinc


LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

1W45

075

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269.

710

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6230

,600

10,1

004,

060

7,72

02.

0999

.41.

1659

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WC

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905-

002W

415

75.2

861.

38.

991.

0130

,500

10,5

004,

240

7,31

02.

4610

11.

6470

.6LK

WC

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905-

003W

342

77.8

511.

517

.71.

0536

,300

12,7

004,

860

9,36

02.

9211

29.

472

.3LK

WC

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905-

004W

330

75.9

445.

25.

951.

6524

,600

10,7

003,

710

7,71

02.

9260

.43.

3370

.2LK

WC

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905-

005W

286

79.5

289.

937

.20.

7131

,200

11,9

004,

780

8,62

03.

7384

.81.

2171

.8LK

WC

-060

905-

006W

304

78.8

322.

411

0.59

27,8

0013

,800

5,09

09,

770

2.99

66.8

7.81

74.5

LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

7W19

575

.373

.45.

56<0

.470

32,8

0011

,400

4,05

08,

940

2.58

81.6

1.28

94.1

LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

8W16

575

.745

.811

.71.

0232

,800

11,3

003,

720

8,56

02.

1684

.81.

5298

.3LK

WC

-060

905-

012W

470

74.6

1,36

9.3

4.56

1.47

28,9

0010

,900

4,08

06,

960

2.65

73.6

0.84

55LK

WC

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905-

013W

358

74.5

634.

514

.81.

5426

,300

10,4

003,

770

7,55

02.

7887

.20.

810

4LK

WC

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905-

014W

320

75.2

439.

44.

070.

6822

,300

11,6

003,

310

9,28

02.

7846

.53.

3762

.1LK

WC

-060

905-

015W

337

79.3

483.

816

.20.

8724

,700

13,2

004,

190

8,90

03.

7263

.21.

2162

.5LK

WC

-060

905-

017W

336

74.8

490.

24.

321.

6828

,500

10,3

004,

120

8,48

02.

4984

.80.

7864

.2LK

WC

-060

905-

019W

306

77.8

346.

24.

08<0

.450

27,6

0012

,900

4,17

09,

310

2.8

89.9

0.98

67.8

LKW

C-0

6090

5-02

0W28

279

.325

4.6

9.65

0.66

27,4

0012

,500

4,56

09,

090

3.83

71.6

0.77

69LK

WC

-060

905-

021W

188

75.6

67.2

6.24

0.46

32,6

0011

,100

4,06

09,

150

2.24

89.6

1.05

94.7

Mea

n fo

r al

l LM

BA

col

lect

ed

317.

876

.53

494.

038.

771

0.77

6228

,840

11,5

304,

149

8,50

42.

776

79.3

21.

598

73.0

9

Spotted bass (SPBA)

LKW

C-0

6090

5-00

9W36

370

.660

91.

80.

6520

,100

9,64

02,

730

7,03

02.

1849

.70.

8548

.4LK

WC

-060

905-

010W

214

73.6

90.4

5.9

<0.4

7029

,500

10,5

003,

550

7,79

03.

6268

.20.

7810

0LK

WC

-060

905-

022W

388

72.6

627.

92.

421.

0129

,700

10,3

003,

740

7,81

01.

9810

80.

8171

.2LK

WC

-060

905-

023W

275

74.7

210.

93.

01<0

.440

30,8

0011

,500

3,35

07,

930

2.31

103

0.9

80LK

WC

-060

905-

024W

243

74.5

138.

12.

69<0

.450

29,6

0011

,700

3,39

07,

740

2.72

91.4

0.9

93M

ean

for

all S

PBA

col

lect

ed

296.

673

.233

5.27

2.90

8N

C27

,610

10,7

003,

334

7,65

32.

503

80.8

10.

8475

76.1

7M

ean

for

all fi

sh (b

oth

spec

ies)

co

llect

ed fo

r L

KW

C–

––

6.74

40.

6537

28,5

4011

,330

3,93

98,

293

2.70

879

.67

1.37

473

.81

Perc

enta

ge o

f fish

from

LK

WC

w

ith c

once

ntra

tions

abo

ve

dete

ctio

n lim

its

––

–10

076

.210

010

010

010

010

010

010

010

0

Mea

n fo

r al

l fish

(bot

h sp

ecie

s)

colle

cted

for

from

site

s–

––

6.9

0.89

9330

,490

11,4

603,

980

8,37

32.

3690

.44

1.51

573

.78


Whiskey Creek Arm


TOTA

L M

ERCU

RY IN

FIL

LET,

IN M

ICRO

GRAM

S PE

R GR

AM O

F W

ET W

EIGH

T

100 200 300 400 500

TOTAL LENGTH, IN MILLIMETERS

EXPLANATION

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

Largemouth bass (LMBA) Spotted bass (SPBA)

Clear Creek Arm

Whiskey Creek Arm


Clear Creek Arm

Figure 2. Mercury concentration for all bass (Micropterus spp.) samples collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, 2005 in relation to total length.

from Whiskeytown Lake are not as elevated as values from fish in the adjacent Trinity Lake and watershed (May and others 2005), it is evident that more samples are needed to thoroughly evaluate the potential risk these fish may pose to human and wildlife consumers.

The data presented in this report represent a baseline for future monitoring efforts. Black bass in Whiskeytown Lake have elevated concentrations of total mercury and show a bioaccumulation effect of increasing mercury with increasing size. While mercury values from fish collected

References 15

y = 0.5894x + 0.0135

R2 = 0.937

0.1

0.0

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

TOTA

L M

ERCU

RY IN

WHO

LE B

ODY,

IN M

ICRO

GRAM

S PE

R GR

AM O

F W

ET W

EIGH

T

TOTAL MERCURY IN FILLET, IN MICROGRAMS PER GRAM OF WET WEIGHT

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6

Figure 3. Correlation plot of mercury concentration in fillet samples in relation to whole-body samples for for all bass (Micropterus spp.) samples collected from Whiskeytown Lake, California, 2005.

AcknowledgementsFunding for this study was provided by the USGS–NPS

Water Quality Cooperative Program, and the U.S. Department of Interior Burned Area Rehabilitation Program. We thank Jennifer Gibson, Russ Weatherbee, and Brian Rasmussen of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, who helped with procuring funding for these analyses and assisted with logis-tics associated with the collection. Skylar Feltman of USGS Biological Resources Discipline helped with processing fish samples.

References

Alpers, C.N., Hunerlach, M.P., May, J.T., and Hothem, R.L., 2005, Mercury contamination from historic gold mining in California: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2005–3014, 2nd ed., 6 p. Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3014/fs2005_3014_v1.1.pdf

California Department of Conservation, 2000, California’s Abandoned mine lands: Chapter 3.3 Clear Creek Watershed, p. 41–47,Volume II: A report on the magnitude and Scope of the issue in the State: California Department of Conserva-tion, Abandoned Mines Unit, Sacramento, California, 137 p.

May, J.T., Hothem, R.L., Alpers, C.N., and Law, M.A., 2000, Mercury bioaccumulation in fish in a region affected by his-toric gold mining: The South Yuba River, Deer Creek, and Bear River Watersheds, California, 1999: U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report 00-367, 35 p. Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2000/0367/report.pdf

May, J.T., Hothem, R.L, and Alpers, C.N., 2005, Mercury Concentrations in fishes from select water bodies in Trinity County, California, 2000–2002: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005–1321, 14 p. Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1321/USGS_2005-1321.pdf

Moore, J.N., and Hughes, D., 2003, Trace metals in sediments of a mine impacted river basin: Clear Creek, California Project, Final Report: Department of Geology, University of Montana, Missoula, masters thesis, December 30, 2003, 136 p.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3014/fs2005_3014_v1.1.pdf

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3014/fs2005_3014_v1.1.pdf

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1321/USGS_2005-1321.pdf


National Park Service, 1999, General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Whiskeytown Unit Shasta County, California, 117 p., accessed June, 2008 at http://www.nps.gov/whis/parkmgmt/upload/GMPfinal.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1991, Methods for the determination of metals in environmental samples: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Monitoring Systems Labora-tory, EPA- PA/600 4-91-010, 293 p.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1995, Guidance for assessing chemical contaminant data for use in fish advi-sories, Volume 1, Fish sampling and analysis (2nd ed.): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA823-R-95-007, variously paged.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2001, Water quality criterion for protection of human health—Methylmercury: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA-823-R-01-001, 269 p.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003, Draft update IVA of SW-846, 7000 series, Method 7473, Mercury in sol-ids and solutions by thermal decomposition, amalgamation, and atomic absorption spectrophotometry: U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency, Office of Water, accessed July, 2005 at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/up4a.htm#7_series

http://www.nps.gov/whis/parkmgmt/upload/GMPfinal.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/whis/parkmgmt/upload/GMPfinal.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/up4a.htm#7_series

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/up4a.htm#7_series

May and others—

Concentrations of Mercury and other M

etals in Black B

ass (Micropterus spp.) from

Whiskeytow

n Lake, Shasta County, California, 2005—Open File Report 2011–1297

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